Related is the (possibly meaningless) question of whether the baseline halakhah is to daven, and davening with a minyan is a hiddur (a beautification beyond the requirement) or whether halachically we are required to daven with a minyan, and davening alone is a way to fulfil the majority of the mitzvah in an imperfect (because it's only that majority) way?

When I go on vacation, I generally look for places with a minyan available nearby, but it is not always possible, especially if there are other halachic issues such as:

- Kibud Horim - my parents live in a place with no daily minyan (the nearest daily minyan is 3 time zones away - a 2.5 hour flight), but visiting ones parents overrides the requirements of a daily minyan.

- Shalom Bayit - if my wife or family have their hearts set on a family vacation, and not going because there is no minyan would upset them, it may be preferable to forgo the obligation of a minyan.

- Cost - If accommodation near a shul is considerably more than alternative accommodation, sometimes one may be forced to compromise on the requirements of a minyan

R'SR,There are (imho unfortunatley) a plethora of such available - I say unfortunately because it's like diagnosing off the internet (but worse) - one dosen't even always know the right questions to ask or facts that can make a difference.

BTW - here's something I found from a blog named Hirhurim, but I wouldn't trust the summary - the author is imho a little OTD

R’ Yehoshua Grunstein – Halachot of vacation – How “crazy” must I go to attend a Minyan?: http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/736684/Rabbi_Yehoshua_Grunstein/Halachot_of_vacation-_How_'crazy'_must_I_go_to_attend_a_Minyan? Is having/going to a minyan an individual responsibility or a community one? (differing opinions) Halachic parameters of how far (separate question â€“ time or distance?) do you have to travel for a minyan (or is it for water to wash before prayer?). [me â€“ be selfish, daven with a minyan! â€“ see Rambam Hilchot Tfila]

I know / knew many profound Rabbanim (incl several Haredi rabbanim) who vacationed in places without a minyan. (A cousin of mine who has a house in a completely secular, then isolated, but very beautiful setting in Israel at the top of Mt Carmel was astonished many years ago to find that his summer tenant was the Toldos Aharon rebbe. More surprising was the clear evidence of intensive usage of his library of ancient Semitic literature!). The drive (via social pressure) to force people to ONLY vacation with the 'group' is another example of the increasing effort to totally control tthe lives of observant Jews.

Related to RJR's last comment.... A rav with the fame of a R' Hutner probably couldn't actually get a vacation if it was a place frequented by other frum Jews. We, however, can get rest and mental decompression without avoiding people's non-urgent questions or simple desire to speak to a gadol. (At least I can, I won't speak to the Commentator's, R' Saul's or RJR's experiences.)

In reply to Mojo - Years ago I asked a Sheila to one of my Ramim in Yeshiva - he said that there is a Mitzva do daven each day with a minyan; there is no Mitzva to go on vacation.

That said, in certain cases there is a Mitzva to travel (as I mentioned above Kibud Horim, Shalom Bayit, Parnassa, etc) in which case it may be OK to travel to a place with no minyan available - but each case has to be addressed individually.

dlz-See Igros Moshe Even haEzer 4:32:8, which first deals with touring in Israel and then continues to address touring in general. Where this is the only time one can see something exceptional, he permits.

i distinctly recall in late 1970's Harav Avraham Price, one of the great poskim of Toronto who vacationed in a cottage near Collingwood Ontario in the summer w/o a minyan. The only time i saw him was when one of his former students would go and drive him to the Wasaga Beach shul on Motzai Shabbat Tisha Bav and Sunday for kinot and Eicha. He spent Shabbat itself w/o a minyan.